Shipley anxious for Eagles to start colliding

BETHLEHEM — — Until the Eagles put the pads on starting Saturday and then get into the preseason games in August, no evaluation of their offensive linemen would be valid.

That's why A.Q. Shipley can't wait to get cracking.

"Being a lineman, that's how you make a team," said the center from Penn State, who spent all of last season on the Pittsburgh Steelers' practice squad. "I mean, you look forward to putting the pads on and showing what you can do in pads. Everybody can look good in shorts, technique-wise, but you find out who can play the game, who's tough, who's able to really bring it when the pads come on."

Shipley, even though he's running behind veterans Nick Cole and Mike McGlynn for the starting spot that's expected to be open because Jamaal Jackson is still not fully recovered from January ACL surgery, considers himself a bona fide candidate.

Long odds are not a problem. Actually, they might work in his favor.

Shipley didn't even begin his career at Penn State on offense. But he started his last 39 games at center after being switched from the defensive line and played well enough there to earn the Rimington Trophy, which is awarded to the nation's top center.

He did it with a tattoo on his left arm that states: "Man's reach must exceed his grasp," an expression he first heard from Penn State coach Joe Paterno before making it his mantra after being told for years that he doesn't have a large enough wingspan to be an offensive lineman.

Now Shipley figures he has a month or so to get his hands on a job.

"That's what this comes down to," he said. "You have four weeks to make a name for yourself, and that's what you look forward to."

No Relief: Wednesday marked the second straight day the short-squad defense was operating with hardly any relief. Until safety Nate Allen joined the group after signing his contract earlier in the morning, the secondary had just one extra player for all the team and seven-on-seven drills.

"It was 30 plays straight for two corners," cornerback Trevard Lindley said, "so you pretty much have to suck it up and go on to the next play."

"I'll tell you what, my hat goes off to them," defensive coordinator Sean McDermott added. "They didn't come out for four practices now. There was very little rotation there. But I want to see mental toughness. I want to see guys bear down and want it, and that's what a lot of these guys have showed these last two days. I wouldn't expect anything less.

"They're out here and there's a lot of guys sitting at home that would love to be in their shoes and they're showing me something by staying out there and bending their knees and getting after it."

Roster Move: The Eagles released LB/DE Alex Hall to make room on the roster for Allen.

"I think Alex Hall will be a very good outside linebacker in a 3-4 front," coach Andy Reid said. "We worked him as a linebacker and also worked him as a defensive end. After the evaluation we just felt like his best thing would probably be a 3-4, and I think Alex can definitely play in this league and be very successful, he's just got to get into the right situation."